Catacombs
by Daughter of Nature
Summary: Kel's in the catacombs...and it's not as quiet down there as she thinks. A collection of ordered but not necessarily directly connected Sabine/Kel drabbles, written for Goldenlake's SMACKDOWN.
1. Chapter 1

I think the summary doesn't show up for people who have me on author alert, so I'll say here that these are a collection of drabbles written for Goldenlake's SMACKDOWN. They're all connected in that they're from the same situation and moving forwards in time, but they're supposed to be short and not necessarily connected to each other.

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Kel tiptoed quietly across the empty room, the light from her candle not quite reaching the corners. At the doorway she paused, looking back across the room to the other doorway. Her friends stood there, watching and egging her on. Sighing, she turned to face the blackness ahead of her. _Straight ahead, _she told herself. _Just go there, touch it, and come straight back._ _Merric and Seaver managed it fine, it's just a silly dare. _Telling herself this worked, but only until she reached the edge of the Gate. She stood there, determinedly ignoring the old bloodstains on the floor and convincing herself that nothing would happen, that everything was fine. She was all set to take the first step towards the centre when a voice made her jump and reach for her sword.

"You're the only girl I've seen so far."

Kel's eyes widened; there seemed to be a woman _floating_ towards her out of the darkness…through several objects. She backed away hastily, wanting to run but not willing to turn her back, and she heard laughter.

"Goddess, you're afraid? I can't _do _anything to you. Can't you see I'm going through everything?"

Kel gulped and bowed nervously. "I don't mean to be rude, but my friends are waiting."

"I've been watching them, it's odd. They've been coming in here one at a time, touching the sword in the middle of the mage scribblings, and then running like rushers do when the Dogs get a whiff of them."

"It's…a game, of sorts," Kel explained. "We were daring each other."

The lady smiled. "You're a pretty little thing," she said. "Why don't you stay and talk with me a while?"


	2. Chapter 2

Kel stared; it wasn't often she was called either 'pretty' or 'little', although she had to admit that this…lady was quite a bit taller than her. It was even less often that she conversed with _ghosts._

"I'm sorry if we disturbed you," she told the figure nervously. "I'll leave you in peace now."

"Oh, I'm not from _here_." She snorted. "I'm not royalty. Gods, I think I'd do myself in again if I'd been married to Roger."

Kel's eyes widened. "Roger? And _again_?"

"Oh, I didn't do it myself the first time. Old age actually, it was really quite boring. Maybe I should've. And I didn't mean your Roger, I meant King Roger. Although really, they're both as bad as each other, trying to cause havoc in the Realms of the Dead and failing every time. They're not called the Peaceful Realms for nothing, you know."

Kel nodded. "That's very interesting, but I'd best be going."

The ghost sighed. "So you keep saying. Maybe I'll just follow you from time to time, you seem very interesting. It's nice to see a girl page; we weren't very popular towards the end of my time."

Kel's eyes lit up. "You were another girl page?"

The ghost grinned. "Lady knight."


	3. Chapter 3

The ghost laughed. "I'd have mentioned it sooner if I knew it would get that sort of reaction." She floated closer to Kel. "Lady Knight Sabine of Macayhill."

Kel bowed again. "I'm Keladry of Mindelan."

"Now that we're properly introduced, will you spend some time with me? You do seem very interesting." The lady knight grinned, looking Kel over.

"I – I don't mean to offend, but I think I'm a little too young for what I think you're thinking," Kel managed.

"Oh, I couldn't anyway. I can't touch things, remember? But perhaps you're right." The woman disappeared for a moment and then reappeared as a girl.

Kel stared. "How did you do that?"

"Ghost secret." The girl winked. "It's sarden _annoying_, being this small. I think I'm too young. How old are you?"

"Thirteen and a half."

Sabine disappeared again, this time reappearing looking a couple of years older and quite a bit taller. "That's much better," she said, floating right in front of Kel. "Now, where were we?"


	4. Chapter 4

"Kel?"

Both Kel and Sabine turned to the doorway, where her friends were clustered in a small circle of light.

"Why are you taking so long? And why were you talking to yourself?"

"But I wasn't," protested Kel. "I was talking to Sabine, she's a, er…."

"Ghost," supplied Sabine. "Although they can't hear or see me."

Kel blinked. "Why not?" Her friends all stared at her, and Sabine grinned.

"I don't want them to."

"But they're thinking I'm mad, look at them!"

"Kel, let's get you out of here. Maybe Duke Baird should have a look at you to-"

Roald's voice cut off as Neal yanked his tunic. "_Don't_ walk over the Gate. Not you, and not when it might have done something to Kel."

"I'm _fine_," Kel insisted. "She's just not showing herself to you."

"I'm dead, let me have my fun. Pay respect to the dead and all that." Sabine eyed Roald. "A Conte, huh? Maybe this would be a good time to see if I can possess people."

Kel's eyes widened. "No! Please don't!"

"You're no fun," the other girl told her, and disappeared.

Kel watched Roald nervously, but nothing happened. "I think she's gone," she said uncertainly.

Neal's hand clamped down on her arm. "We're getting you out of here."

Kel sighed. It was odd but…she sort of wished that the ghost girl would come back.


	5. Chapter 5

"Boo."

Kel gasped, sending a wave of water over the edge of the bathtub as she jerked in surprise. She hurriedly moved away from the head that was sticking up through the bottom of her bathtub, and tried to subtly cover herself. "I thought you said that I was no fun," she managed.

"You're not." The ghost floated fully into the room. "I've just decided that I'll have to make my own fun around you instead."

Kel wondered if it was possible to discourage her without being insulting, and Sabine watched Kel. "I think I'll join you," she announced.

Kel blinked. "I thought you already had."

Sabine grinned.


	6. Chapter 6

"She's here."

Kel and Sabine both turned to find Kel's friends leading a man towards them. "You remember how I told you about the Lioness?" Kel whispered. "He's her husband."

"Father called in a favour," explained Neal.

George grinned. "I must admit, I'm fascinated." He peered at the air around Kel. "My Sight's not showing me anything, though. Is she there?"

Kel nodded. "She's right here. Sabine, please would you show yourself just for a moment?"

Sabine laughed. "Who would you prefer me to possess?"

"Sabine?" asked George. "Not Sabine of Macayhill?" Sabine and Kel both stared at him, and he shrugged. "My six-times-great grandmother knew a Sabine of Macayhill, that's all. She kept diaries, and I read her name in those."

Sabine floated closer to Kel. "What did you say his name was?"

"Baron George of Pirate's Swoop."

George was watching Kel intently. "Formerly known as George Cooper of the Lower City, and King of the Rogue." He grinned and waited.

Kel's friends all gasped and jumped backwards as a ghostly figure appeared next to Kel. "You're Beka's? What's this about King of the Rogue? Gods, she'd be turning in her grave, you know."


	7. Chapter 7

"I can't believe that people have been reading her diaries. Don't you think that's rude? I'm glad I never kept any of the sarden things."

Kel nodded. "I'd rather keep my thoughts in my head."

"Perhaps I should haunt him. Help me think up something imaginative. I want to do more than the usual scary ghost type thing."

"Sabine, this is going to sound strange, but ever since you realised that the Lioness's husband is your friend's descendant you've looked more…well, solid."

Sabine sniggered. "Your friends certainly thought so. Goddess, the looks on their faces."

"But you look more solid to me, too."

Sabine grinned at her. "Maybe you should kiss me and find out."

Kel turned bright red before she could fight to keep her face blank. "Maybe I just imagined it," she murmured.


	8. Chapter 8

"If you don't kiss him by the end of the day, I'll tell him myself."

"I'm not kissing anybody!"

"You've got a crush on him."

"I don't! He's my best friend."

"So? I can tell you do, with my ghostly powers."

"Ghostly powers don't do anything like that."

Sabine grinned. "I know. You're just so sarden obvious."

"Sabine, please don't. I don't want to ruin our friendship. It's not like he'd think of me like that anyway."

"He likes you back, you craven ducknob."

Kel crossed her arms. "I don't even know what that means, but I'm not kissing him. Even if I was going to, I don't even know how to kiss."

"You don't?" All of a sudden Sabine was much closer to her. "That's fine, you can practice on me."


	9. Chapter 9

Kel was too scared to breathe; Sabine was right in front of her.

"Practice on me," Sabine repeated.

"But…I'll go right through you."

"So? It's better than nothing. And I am technically nothing, so you're not even cheating on your sweetheart by kissing me."

"He's not my sweetheart."

"Not yet. So hurry up and do your practice."

Kel gulped and shut her eyes. She was just about to lean forwards to where Sabine was when she felt a light touch, almost like a breeze of air, on her lips. Her eyes flew open. "I felt that," she said.

Sabine was staring at her, confused. "Me too." She inhaled deeply. "Do it again."

Cautiously, Kel leaned forwards, her eyes staying open until the last moment this time. No sooner had she felt the same touch on her lips than she heard a loud thud. She opened her eyes to find Sabine standing on the floor next to her, and she gasped. "You're solid."


	10. Chapter 10

Sabine and Kel stared at each other. "You're solid," Kel repeated. "How did that happen?"

"I don't know." Sabine kicked a foot against the floor. "I didn't know it could." She peered at her hand. "I'm not entirely solid though. I can touch things, but I'm still see through. But I can't vanish or float."

"Can I touch you?" Kel asked tentatively. Sabine grabbed her arm, and Kel jumped.

"What?"

Kel smiled and shook her head. "I'd just have done it more cautiously, that's all."

"Kiss me again, I want to see if it makes me completely solid."

Kel did it, much less reluctantly than either of the previous times. They were both a little disappointed when nothing else seemed to happen.

Sabine shrugged. "Looks like I'm like this for the time being."

"Sabine…you know how you were going to tell Neal I like him unless I kissed him today? Well, I was thinking…maybe I should practice some more instead."


	11. Chapter 11

"Sabine?"

"Goddess, you've grown."

"Sabine, it's been three months."

Sabine's eyebrows raised. "Three _months_?"

"You missed my birthday." Kel fought to keep the accusation off her face.

Sabine blinked and floated down to her. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to. You know that time passes differently in the Peaceful Realms." Kel nodded reluctantly, and Sabine went to lay a hand on her arm – and went right through her. She swore. "I forgot I was back to being ghosty again. Who came up with all these sarden rules for being a ghost anyway?"

"The Black God, I think. You shouldn't insult him."

"I suppose I shouldn't." She sighed. "Make me solid again please?"

"Maybe I don't feel like kissing you."

Sabine eyed her. "You're sulking," she said, sounding delighted.

"I'm not!"

"You are." Sabine grinned. "You missed me."


	12. Chapter 12

"Where were you, anyway?"

"Back in the Peaceful Realms, with Mattes." Sabine smiled, remembering. "Goddess, was it really three months? It was wonderful." She caught sight of the look on Kel's face. "What? Time passes differently when you're dead."

"It's cheerful to know that three months of my life means nothing to you," Kel grumbled. "I'll be dead before you know it."

"And then you can join us in the Realms of the Dead." Sabine smiled brightly at her.

Kel sighed. "Not helping." She looked at Sabine and saw the look of glee on her face. "Definitely not helping."

"I can't help it!" Sabine insisted. "I'm just happy you missed me, that's all."


	13. Chapter 13

"So, how about that kiss?"

"I never promised you anything."

"You're still sulking."

"I don't _have_ to kiss you."

"I'd like it if you did. So would you?"

"How do you know?"

Sabine grinned. "Because then I'd be solid again. Or mostly solid, close enough. And _then_," she gave Kel a look that made her insides turn over, "I can make it up to you."

Kel swallowed hard. "Make it up to me? How?"

"Well, I'd show you, but I need to be solid. It's a vicious cycle, really." Sabine gave her the most pitiful look she could manage.

Kel couldn't help but smile. "I suppose one kiss wouldn't hurt."


	14. Chapter 14

This kiss was both like the others and better. Maybe because it had been such a while, or maybe because Kel was that little bit older. She wasn't sure why, but she knew she liked it.

"This is such a nice way to become solid. Well, mostly solid, I'm still see through," Sabine grinned at her. "Thank you."

"You're welcome."

"Forgive me…it's hard to keep track of mortal time. You said it was your birthday, how old are you now?"

"Fifteen," Kel told her, and tried not to be offended that Sabine had forgotten both her birthday and her age.

Sabine grinned. "That's perfect. Girls in the Lower City are married as young as fifteen, you know."


	15. Chapter 15

Kel blinked. "What does that have to do with anything?"

"That," answered Sabine, "has to do with everything. Well, that's exaggerating. I'm talking about sex. Girls married as young as fifteen are having sex as young as fifteen." She eyed Kel. "Do you get what I'm saying?"

"Um…I think so." Kel blushed. "You mean you want to…you know?"

"Very much. It depends on what you want though."

"I think…" Kel swallowed. "I think it's worth giving it a go."

"We'll take it slowly and stop if you want to."

Kel smiled. "That would be good…where do we start?"

Sabine grinned back at her. "With another one of those kisses."


	16. Chapter 16

"Not bad for someone who's been dead two hundred years, is it?"

"Oh, gods! Don't say it like that!"

"Well, it's true."

"Not really, I've never heard of dead people coming back quite like this, it's like you're…"

"Still half in the land of the living?"

"Exactly." Kel turned towards Sabine and her eyes widened. "Sabine…"

"What?"

"You're solid. Completely solid."

Sabine looked down, her eyes widening. "I can't see through myself anymore." She grinned. "So, a kiss makes me partially solid and sex makes me fully solid? I'm not complaining about that at all. Although, it's just as well that I made myself older before…I can't change my age now, I'd have hated being stuck with smaller peaches."

She had no idea why Kel found that so funny.


	17. Chapter 17

"Sabine says you know how she became solid."

Kel's eyes widened, and she looked away from Neal, her face turning red. "So?"

"Well, how? I'm interested."

"It's none of your business!"

Neal frowned. "That's what she said too. Why does this have to be such a big secret?"

"It's not important," Kel insisted.

"If I'm a good boy and eat my vegetables, will you tell me?"

"No."

"Please?"

"No."

Neal crossed his arms, looking put out. "I'm going to find out eventually, you know. "

"No, you're not."

"Yes," he smiled smugly, "I am. You're going to be questioned by the head of the university."


End file.
